Biological Pathways Linking Mindfulness with Health
INDIGO June 30, 2018 DOI: 10.1184/r1/6613724.v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mental health Affect linguistics Stress linguistics Psychotherapist Cognitive science Cognitive psychology Communication |
| Citations | 44 |
| Key points | Proposes that mindfulness may buffer stress through neural and peripheral biological pathways, potentially explaining its effects on health outcomes. |
Abstract
In order to consider how this capacity of the mind (‘mindfulness’) impacts our biology, this chapter is divided into three parts. First, I formalize an account for how mindfulness might affect health: the mindfulness stress-buffering hypothesis—and then consider the available evidence for this account. Second, I will ground this stress buffering account in an evidence-based biological model (Miller, Chen, & Cole, 2009) depicting how mindfulness influences stress-related neural and peripheral biological pathways, which in turn might explain a broad range of stress-related mental and physical health outcomes. Third, I conclude with thoughts about how this account stimulates new questions that could be fruitfully explored in subsequent research.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- How Does Mindfulness Training Affect Health? A Mindfulness Stress Buffering Account Current Directions in Psychological Science December 1, 2014
- Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: a randomized controlled trial Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience June 5, 2015
- The State of Dispositional Mindfulness Research Mindfulness March 18, 2022
- From metacognition to academic burnout in university students: The mediating role of mindfulness Journal of Pedagogical Research September 23, 2023
- The Influence of Mindfulness Stress Based Reduction Training on Somatic Health Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Skłodowska sectio J – Paedagogia-Psychologia August 20, 2018
and 3 more in the library
Cites 28
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
and 23 more in the library